at that point, the democrats had to pretend to care about civil rights. the first civil rights legislation pushed by a democrat -- far more republicans voted for it. it was about 80% republicans. they had voted for every other civil-rights bill. they were liberal democrats. albert gore sr. all of these characters were ferocious opponents of joe mccarthy. robert byrd had 100% rating. do not believe the light they were conservative democrats. there was one of 18 liberal democratic segregationist who became a republican and that was strom thurmond. robert byrd had 100% rating. this line is pulled off by describing the entire south as if it was one state. republicans secretly appealed the democratic segregationist and suddenly we swept the south. republicans took the south when the dixiecrats died out. republicans had been winning the outer southern states since the 1920's. warren harding did pretty well. eisenhower twice. this was before 1964. reagan lost the dixiecrat states. reagan did best with college students, the people that were not born when strom th